Story : Meeting in the old stone cottage
Back to: The old stone cottage rebuilt The first ray of dawn :April 21 1220 nb. if you take actions prior to first light on this day, add a section prior to this one. The sun's rays alighted quickly upon the cottage in which the four magi and their party slept. The cottage was bathed in the light of a spring dawn while the cottages of Church Stretton, clustered at the foot of the mynd, slumbered on, deep within its shadow. The cottage, formerly a natural part of the landscape, had become something of a distraction. Where before the weathered and tumbled stones had been a congruous part of the landscape, there now stood a vaguely religious looking structure. It was much sturdier, the walls thickened and buttressed, the windows stopped tight by sturdy looking shutters, and a solid looking smooth barrel roof which was quite unique in the area. It was more like some bizarre foreign tomb than a residence for shepherds, though typical of the odd things magi erected for themselves. Despite the strong sunlight, the morning air was very cold, and yet damp. Inside and out, in the growing light, the magi began to stir. Having spent the last couple weeks on the road with Alicia and Llewys, it had become habit for Ambrosius to wake at first light. With the result of much practice, he rose, and went about his morning routine. The sun was not thirty minutes over the horizon and he was clean and refreshed, his Parma restored to its full strength. He and Phaedrus had agreed the night before to start as soon as there was light, and they were both eager to begin. Phaedrus wrapped up his morning responsibilities at much the same time, and the two magi put their heads together one final time over the drawings. As the more capable, or less dangerous, spontaneous caster, Ambrosius would handle the majority of the non-formulaic magic, while Phaedrus would use his superb finesse to ensure both safety and what aesthetics the situation allowed. They'd agreed the night before that the first place to start was the gigantic stone ring which would act as a focus, timeline and trigger for many of the spells that they would cast for as long as they worked out of this rapidly transforming cottage. Ambrosius had formed the ring the night before with little difficulty, but try as he might, he was unable to bring to bear the concentration necessary to use it as a component of any spells. Phaedrus, excelling at ring magic, inspected Ambrosius' work from the day before and declared it fit with only a few minor changes. Once the ring was ready, they began in the deeper of the two rooms, behind the cottage and tunneling down into the Mynd. The work was slow going at first, each magus casting simple to pull out a single, perfectly cubed block of stone, once pace wide, and floating it to the far side of the cottage where they had determined to use the blocks to create stable walls, and, if there were enough material, another room that Ambrosius secretly hoped to turn into a make-shift forge. Ambrosius was duly impressed with the ease which Phaedrus moved the stone - it was clear that this work was making fair use of Phaedrus' art of choice...Ambrosius guessed it was Rego. To Split out the block: Level 1 + 1 for Stone Rego Terram +1 Touch, +1 Part = challenge of 4 To Move the block: Level 2 Rego Terram +1 Touch, +1 Diameter = challenge of 4 Ambrosius - Stamina 5, Rego 4, Terram 6, Aura 1, Voice & Gestures 2 = 18 + roll There is no roll for nonfatiguing spontaneous magic in 5e. Phaedrus - Stamina 2, Rego 12+3, Terram 5, Aura 1, Voice & Gestures 2 = 25 Yhey were joined soon that morning by Geraldous who, while unable to move blocks of stone magically, set to at preparing the ground where the stones were to be placed, ensuring they were set square on flat solid ground. As the mages pulled stone out from the lower room, he started to look concerned, and periodically he would look down into the chamber they were creating, a worried look upon his face. The going was slow - much slower than Ambrosius had hoped; particularly with the rate at which Ambrosius was failing to cast the spell without fatiguing himself. He calculated that they would have to clear or move almost five thousand cubic feet of stone to carve out the rooms, and the two mages were averaging only sixty cubic feet an hour. He knew that he was able to spontaneously move a cubic foot of stone at a time without drawing on fatigue, but wasn't sure how much more Phaerdus could handle without risking Chaotic magic. But, the task was to get the rooms done as soon as possible so that the mages and their companions would have a shelter if they so desired. Ambrosius waited for Phaedrus to emerge with his most recent carved block and stop him to talk. "Sodale, we make good progress, but I, ah, fear it is not good enough. At this rate, it will take us nearly a week of working hours to complete the rooms. We can move ten times the stone by investing a bit more energy in it. We shall have to rest between castings, but the time to do the labor will still be reduced drastically. We can pull out stone beams ten paces long, and be done by nightfall. What do you think?" "I think I could split off larger stones," Phaedrus considered, "but moving them around would take fatiguing magic, and the amount of spells needed feels a bit risky. But if we split of a bunch of big stones I might to be able to move them with a few group spells. But does it realy matter if we get only one room done today? We ought to have stone for another room above ground before we finish the first basement room anyway." To Split out a big block: Level 1 + 1 for Stone Rego Terram +1 Touch, +1 Part +1 size= challenge of 5 Move the blocks Level 2 Rego Terram +1 Touch, +1 Diameter, +2 Group +1 size= challenge of 15 Ambrosius - Stamina 5, Rego 4, Terram 6, Aura 1, Voice & Gestures 2 = 18 + roll Phaedrus - Stamina 2, Rego 12+3, Terram 5, Aura 1 Voice&Gestures 2= 25 + roll "Agreed, sodale," Ambrosius said. "Let's finish off a stable for the animals and then, with whatever stone is left, we'll work on an additional building." By the time the sun was high in the sky, the mages were well into the ground on the deeper of the two subterranean rooms, working it apart, piece by piece. For the most part, Ambrosius carved the blocks of stone while Phaedrus, being the more capable mage in Rego Terram, handled the more difficult magic of moving the stone out of the passage way. Ambrosius tried several times, but failed far more often then he succeeded; and though his ego was bruised, practicality won out. Awaiting the others :April 21 1220 Bedo was not early to rise. Apart froma brief foray out of the hut to relieve himself from the previus night's water, he rested well into the morning. Once the sun was relatively high in the sky he packed himself up, called out to the other's that he wouldn't be far away, and walked up the gentle slope through the heather, to the smooth top of the hill, a few hundred yards to the north. Once there, he took parchment from his bag, and began to sketch, drawing a panorama of the skyline in all directions. Once he was happy he had the outlines of the major hills marked down, he stood, and cast the same spells he had cast from Caractucus's fort searching for traces of regios, and auras. Several times he returned to his sketch, noting with satisfaction his discoveries. Noon :April 21 1220 Sandor and Aloysius rode up as the sun was high in the sky. As they approached the cottage, they slowed to a halt, and a moment later there was a *whoosh* and a flutter, as the invisible owl landed upon a fallen branch. "Hoo, too-whoo." Aloysius frumped a bit. "All right, we're here, you can get out of those filthy feathers now." "Hoo, hoo," was the owl's reply. The polecat glared at the seemingly empty air above where the sun cast the invisible owl's shadow. "Enough of that. You know I don't understand your hooting and barking. Change back and talk to me like a real satyr." The shadow shook its head. "Hoo, hoo," it responded nervously. "Oh, hoo hoo yourself," snickered the faerie beast. "I guess you lived up to your Merinita heritage and botched things up good and proper. You're stuck, aren't you?" A moment's pause, then "Hoo... hoo hoo." Aloysius scampered to the ground, then rose on his hind legs and shook his head, paws crossed in front of his little chest. "Once for yes, twice for no." "Hoo," came the reply. "Good, you CAN follow simple instructions. Now. Are you stuck in that form?" "Hoo..." Eirlys answered reluctantly. "Hoo hoo." "I don't understand, yes no? You mean some combination of both?" he asked suspiciously. "Hoo." The polecat frowned. "I see. Well, how long do you think you'll be stuck like that?" "Hoo?" Eirlys asked. "Oh fiddlesticks, you're limited to a two-hoo vocabulary. Bloody useless pigeon. Rat of the skies, I always said. Let me rephrase: Are you stuck that way permanently?" "Hoo hoo," came the prompt reply, quickly followed by an odd gack gack sound. Four brown blurs the size of a mouse appeared from out of thin air, and tumbled to the ground. The invisible owl reached forward with one foot, pulling apart the pellets with a claw. When she was satisfied that all of the bones from the snake she'd eaten were encapsulated within her regurgitated pellets, she resumed her satyr shape. "Sorry about that Aly. I'd breakfasted early this morning, and I wasn't sure I could digest those bits normally." A quick Perdo Animal later, and the pellets disappeared. Eirlys turned to Sandor and rested an unseen hand on his arm. "My friend, will you tend to the horse?" Sandor nodded perfunctorily, and immediately began stripping the tack from the beast. His friend touched him behind the ear to signal her thanks, then lifted Aloysius from his shoulder, and approached the cottage. "So, I'm not supposed to knock then?" she asked in a whisper. "No, that's for public places like inns or churches. Not that you should be going into churches, you'd spontaneously burst into divine flame. That's what their god does to those who worship the Old Ones, he wants to be the only one so he kills people what know about others and revere them." A look of utter horror crossed Eirlys' face, though Aloysius couldn't see it. "But that's terrible!" she whispered fervently. "How could anyone--" "Greed," the polecat interrupted abruptly. "Arrogance, and greed. Anyway, you should indeed knock, as this is more or less a private residence." Shaking the shock from her mind, Eirlys reached out and sharply rapped the door, which looked to have been made just the day before; the wood clean and fresh. The floating polecat put on his best enigmatic smile, as they awaited the response of their sodales. A break for lunch :April 21 1220 It wasn't long after that Ambrosius came our from around the left side of the house where he'd been using one of his few successful castings to move stone from the cave to the growing stable wall. He was impressively dirty and covered with a layer of dust centuries thick, but smiling broadly. Clearly the whatever he was doing was pleasing him. His mind absorbed in other thoughts, he didn't see the polecat until he absentmindedly made to brush it away as he made to step through the door. When he realized what he was seeing, he stopped dead in his tracks. The image of Aloysius rotated around to face Ambrosius. Eirlys stood quietly, however, peeking at the elementalist's attire, searching for the telltale glint of dreaded iron. "What have we...ah, you are the polecat Aloysius! And you're floating..." Ambrosius stuck out a hand and swept it gently under the ferret, feeling for the arm of the maga. "Maga? Ah! Maga Eirlys! Welcome to our home away from home! Please," he gestured to some conveniently sized rock cubes in front of the cottage, "sit and rest. I will gather the others to let them know of your, ah, arrival! Come to think of it, where did Alicia and Llewys go...?" He looked around absentmindedly. "Ah, well. I'll let the ones I can find, know anyway!" He chucked quietly at some private joke, and then stepped into the cottage and disappeared down the cave that appeared to have been dug from the back wall of the cottage. A few seconds later, Eirlys and Sandor could hear Ambrosius yell, "Sodale! Maga Eirlys has arrived! Come and see...er...well, take break with us, anyway!" "Coming," Phaedrus answers. Then he took a few seconds to spell himself clean and tie Eirlys kerchief around his arm, before picking up the latest stone block and following Ambrosious outside. << OOC Does Phaedrus see Eirlys? Seccond sight + Perception = 2, magical invissibility Ease 6+magnitude =10, a simple die should give him 30% >> "It was a long journey. I don't expect Longinus to arrive until some time tomorrow-- he wished to make an early camp in a dark place, while I opted to travel through the night and make our three-day's-time appointment." Eirlys rested a hand on Ambrosius' shoulder in greeting. "I apologise for my appearance, or lack thereof. I am strong with Perdo- not so much with Rego. I do still have some dried pears for this break." Mnemosyne had been sitting outside, enjoying the spring weather and getting on with her notations. From time to time she would retrieve a long scroll from her bag, unrolling it to a certain point and then very carefully and precisely write something onto it. It was then carefully packed away again. However, when she saw the arrival of a man on horseback who she vaguely thought she recognised. A bit irritated with herself that she had not spotted him from further away, she packed up her things and made haste down to the cottage. When she got closer she recognised Sandor as one of the other magi's grogs. Eirlys or Marcus, she rather thought but was not sure. "Why are you here alone?" she asked Sandor in English, concern making her voice sharp. "Has something happened to one of the other magi?" Sandor turned and faced the maga, his expression unconcerned, even a little relieved. He knew the maga was speaking to him in English, but he did not understand it. All Sandor could do was smile slightly and shake his head to indicate that he did not understand. The little polecat turned his head about to the grating sound. "He speaks not, O most beauteous and justicial Guernicus," he called out in English. "And he understands only Welsh, besides. But come and sit with us while we await the return of our good Verditius, who even now gathers the other magi from within as we speak." He stood up, then walked a circle atop the stone block upon which he had been reclining, before settling back down and curling up into a ball. The invisble Eirlys sat waiting beside; could one but see her, they would think her deep in thought, though in fact she was running her tongue along her teeth, trying to rub off some imagined serpent scales with the tip of her tongue. Mnemosyne looked at the polecat in surprise. She had overlooked the faerie creature in her focus on Sandor. It told her for sure which magi were missing though. Eirlys and Longinus. "Ah... Aloysius, is it not?" she asked. "I do have the pleasure of being known by that appellation, most effervescent scholar," the polecat replied with a bow. "Where are Eirlys and Longinus? Has something happened?" She glanced around to see if the two magi were trailing along behind some way. The fact that Sandor did not look worried and the polecat's tone was calm was slightly comforting. Aloysius licked himself lazily. "Eirlys is right here; it's just that her Perdo Imaginem effect has yet to expire. Magus Longinus stayed behind with Llewelyn as he wished to dally at the location we found. The three of us travelled through the night to make it here in time for our agreed-upon meeting date." Eirlys' disembodied voice spoke then, making a poor effort to conceal her annoyance: "I don't expect they'll make it here until some time tomorrow, travelling on foot, and needing to sleep every time the sun dips near the horizon. I don't see how the man gets anything done when he is incapable of using even half of a day-cycle. But enough of that. How have you fared these past few..." Her voice trailed off as she turned to the door, where the Verditius was approaching. Ambrosius stepped out of the cottage with a sack of rough-hewn stone cups, tough bread and a thick slice of some hard cheese. "Ah, Mnemosyne. Good of you to join us. Please, take some and pass it along, while I get some water for us." Ambrosius handed the bread and cheese off to Mnemosyne without even waiting to see if she was interest, and turned away to fill the cups at the well. As he did, he spoke. "I have to admit, I was hopeful that Longinus and Marcus would arrive today, but that seems less and, uh, less likely as the day wears on." Ambrosius brought the first two cups back, handing one of, rather awkwardly, to the invisible Eirlys, and the other to Mnemosyne. After going back for more water, He set handled a cup to Phaedrus, who'd just stepped out of the cottage and set a shallow bowl of water down for the polecat. "And...Ah, blast! I forgot Bedo!" Ambrosius straightened and looked toward the top of the mynd where Bedo had been sketching all day, thus far. He shook his head wistfully and turned to where his younger brother sat working on his lessons and switch to English. "Llewys, would you run up and invite Magus Bedo to join us for a meal and discussion, please?" When Llewys was away, Ambrosius turned back to the discussion at hand. "Ah, well. Now that we know Longinus is a good day's journey out, well, I guess we cannot begin our discussions until tomorrow. Frankly, I'm, um, anxious to get back to that incredible regio and explore!" Eirlys cleared her throat. "I have not the leeway to remain until tomorrow to report upon Hockestow-- Beltane is soon; it is a long journey, and I must make haste, am I to collect supplies from Crun Clach and then attend my Lady. I've offered to assist in preparing the Feast. Quite a hectic responsibility, in the midst of an archery tournament, sword dances, and rounders." She laughed. "I should like to make my report and then be on my way, and return in approximately two weeks' time. Travelling through the fae realm is quite slow..." Water sloshed from Ambrosius cup as he spasmed slightly, as if startled. His eyes wide and face slightly blushed he said, "Two weeks? By Mercury, Maga, you could miss everything...the final site selection, the building of the, ahhhh, um, buildings...everything!" "Beltane is midway between the vernal equinox and the summer solstice, which would be nine days hence. The celebrations begin the night before, and the preparations at least two days in advance. Though my arts are not so inclined towards creation or building, so I doubt what use I might be in the construction process." "But Maga! This is to be your home! Are you not worried that your desires or needs may mistakenly be overlooked?" Eirlys giggled. "All I need is a hammock to sleep in, and a copse of trees to shelter a laboratory. Any other needs I can see to myself." Bedo had arrived during the exchange, and stood there waiting for a quiet moment to speak. Eventually, he cut in, "I, er, I think it most important that we all take part in the dicussions. I know we said we would speak today, but we are not all here together. Eirlys, cannot you delay your departure one more day? There will be a Beltane every year, but we found a covenant only once. I am sure once we have made our decision you can be spared during the time of building - it seems we have experts here who can guide the rest of us." A low growling noise emerged from the satyr's throat. "Yes, there is a Beltane every year. That does not diminish its importance in the slightest. It is my duty, to my Lady, to the land, and to my parens. Even were it not a matter of social importance that my parens not have my skin for leaving him with the feast preparations alone--" she groaned-- "There are still fruit groves which must have the proper blessings laid upon them, to ensure a bountiful crop. Would you see people go hungry? A priestess does not shirk her responsibility to the land and to her people simply to indulge a narcoleptic Mercere." Ambrosius jumped back, looking in the general direction that he believe Eirlys to be. "Isn't there someway we could use Rego Corpus to speed you along your way? Something in the vein of that spell...what was it called? Ah yes! Seven League Stride! Surely one among us is talented enough in these arts to give you fleet feet...or, um, wings...for a day or two?" There was an odd thumping sound, as Eirlys tapped a hoof upon the ground, in thought. "I do not believe such magics would be of assistance, travelling through the realm of Faerie," she stated. "Travel through Arcadia is-- particular, to say the least. Although, come to think on it..." She paused, thinking. "I suppose the journey would be made much faster if I travelled overland to Kintyre... through the mundane world. But I have never travelled in such a manner, and I confess I would am somewhat... apprehensive at the thought." Had she been visible, a sly smile would have been seen spreading across her face. The satyr moved to place one arm through Ambrosius'. "Perhaps if a worldly and knowledgable magus were to accompany this hapless fae pilgrim, I'd be more inclined towards the prospect of mundane travel..." She leaned in close, so that the scent of the flowers in her hair might aid her in her attempt at enticement. Ambrosius dropped the stone cup and sat up straight, startlled at the invisible arm through his. "Wha...I, ah," he stuttered. "No, I'm sorry Maga, but Llewys, Alicia and I have given up far too much for me to step out now, even for a little time, or for something as important to you and your people as Beltrane. I'm, ah, sorry." Eirlys removed her arm quickly from Ambrosius'. "Well then, I shall need to be on my way at the morrow's first light, to travel through Faerie, as planned." Ambrosius shook his head, resolute but confused. "I do not understand, Maga - you gave up as much as the rest of us, if not more, for I know little of your past. I understand that the Beltane Celebration is important to your people, but surely there must be a way for you and your man Sandor to stay for the discussion!" Bedo sat back and sighed, "We grow as mages over time, and part of growing is breaking away from those who have taught us. All of us have left our true parents, in some way, and as we passed out gauntlets we broke, a little, from our parens. By coming searching to found a new covenant here, we break a little further, and again, as we break, we grow as mages. If I were to have stayed at Duremar, I would have had direct access to the greatest magical theorists, and the most knowledge of how our magic can develop, in the order, but I do not believe I would become half the mage that I intend, should I have stayed there. My parens, and the other mages there knew that, and blessed me as they had been blessed in their time, to leave, to break away, and to search elsewhere." He stopped, and looked seriously across the table at where he judged Eirlys had spoken, "Magē Eirlys, you are not apprentice Eirlys. Your parens, and the rest who know you there, must have accepted that you were leaving them, when you set off to this place. I am not saying abandon them, lose contact with them, or forget them. I am saying that as a mage, you need to accept that by joining a covenant you must also break, in part, from where you were before. You have chosen to come, as we all have, and find a new home. For your own sake, do not forego your part in deciding on, and building that home," He sat back quietly, looking slightly surprised at the force behind the feelings that he had expressed. A cold silence passed. Finally, Eirlys cleared her throat. "I find it deeply insulting that you consider my religion to be on par with one's apprenticeship, as some passing phase to be outgrown-- I suspect you would not be so openly flippant towards Christianity to a priest of the Roman church. Regardless of your utter lack of respect for my faith, I will not abandon the traditions of my people. Not for any magus, nor any covenant." She paused for emphasis. "While I am certain Drystan is quite understanding of the desire for independence in fledgling magi, my Lady is not so forgiving; nor, for that matter, am I. When I have had the time to scout these lands more fully, I may find others of the faith with whom to gather in observance of our Sabbats, amassing sufficient belief that my Lady may manifest here-- but that time is not now. We seven had an accord, to meet and speak of our findings today. One of us has chosen not to respect that agreement. The compact was broken by one for whom I take no responsibility, and I will not violate my beliefs or customs on his behalf. Should you care to hear my report on Hockestow Forest, or inform me of your own findings, that is at your own discretion. Should you care as little for my advise as you do for my religion, then state so plainly and I shall be on my way." Eirlys took a deep breath, grateful that the lingering Perdo Imaginem effect hid the outrage and hurt on her face. Not waiting for an answer, she stomped off toward the spring. Category:1220 1220Q2 12200428 Category:Ambrosius Category:Phaedrus Category:Sandor Category:Aloysius Category:Eirlys Category:Alicia Category:Llewys Category:Mnemosyne Category:Geraldous Category:Bedo Category:Blathmac